Chalkhills Digest Volume 4, Issue 85
Date: Monday, 25 May 1998

          Chalkhills Digest, Volume 4, Number 85

                   Monday, 25 May 1998

Today's Topics:

                    Re: Double Albums
                    Cleaners Double LP
            Re: XTC vs. TMBG vs. Little Egypt
                      misc ramblings
             river of orchids=sea of flowers?
                    Revenue for Dave?
                     Great interview!
                     Dub Experiments
                       Re: Crikey!
                   My First Outpouring
                       Associations
                      double albums
regarding nihilon@crisscross.comments & "Chalkhill" Originals
                        Word lunch
                    re: 2xLPs - UNCLE!
                    more double albums
                  Hypocrite of the year.
                      Hey Harrison!
                      Re: Spaced Out
        Holly up on Poppy/Crocodile, double albums
     More Maids Smiled: XTC on the radio over the web
                     XTC vs. The Cult

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This is the end / Of kissing ass and rubbing noses.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: JStrole <JStrole@aol.com>
Message-ID: <ca124848.3563ac62@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 00:24:01 EDT
Subject: Re: Double Albums

>With the exception of Zappa's Freak Out (double AND
>debut) album, name a multi-album worth owning (barring collections).

Well, well, if we are talking about the LP era a certain band from Swindon
put out a two-album set called English Settlement.  What about The Clash's
London Calling and The Beatles (the White Album) by The Beatles.  Some
people may want to throw The Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me in there, but,
eh.  BTW, if one wishes to get the ire of a bar crowd going, almost every
bar I've been in has a juke box and almost every one of those juke boxes
I've seen has the White Album on it.  For fun, put on Revolution #9 and
watch the party start.

Awhile back we welcomed a Canadian fan who claimed to have a hard time
finding XTC material in Canada.  This struck me as rather odd since the
recent wave of Canadian bands all seem to be influenced by XTC.  The Crash
Test Dummies have mentioned in interviews of their fascination with Andy
Partridge.  Odds even lifted Complicated Games on their Neopolitan CD on a
song called Horsehead Nebula.  The Barenaked Ladies and Moxy Fruvous have
been known to throw bits of XTC songs into their jams in concert.  I was
under the assumption that half of Canada picked up instruments within
minutes of hearing Black Sea.

For potential album titles I, for one, hope XTC don't use a lyric from the
previous record. I'd rather see a title like : Quirk Be Gone or Twisting
Matilda (e-gads, good thing I'm not in the band).

Harry

------------------------------

Message-ID: <35646522.278C@bellatlantic.net>
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 13:32:18 -0400
From: John Irvine <jirvine@bellatlantic.net>
Subject: Cleaners Double LP

Shameless Plug:

Do yourselves a favor and get yerselves a copy of the Cleaners From
Venus Living With Victoria Grey tape ASAP.  It is superfab through and
through, (and I also don't work for Acid Tapes.)

Double LP's worthowning:

Minutemen- Double Nickels on the Dime
PIL - Metal Box

XTC content:

I really like XTC.

Those who requested tapes of the Baltimore XTC Tribute gig; they are on
the way.  Sorry for the delay:  I finally got a decent dubbing deck
which will improve sound quality of dubs but will not do much about the
out of tune guitars.

Song for the day:
The Soft Boys - Queen of Eyes

Sign off:
um,  bye, John

------------------------------

Date: 21 May 98 13:04:44 -0600
Subject: Re: XTC vs. TMBG vs. Little Egypt
From: "David vanWert" <mcknife@xsite.net>
Message-Id: <B189D6F7-57654@206.126.236.20>

On Thu, May 21, 1998 10:31 AM, somebody wrote:
>Think back to the minor hit, "Istanbul (not Constantinople)", and sing
>along with me now everybody; "Even old New York was once New
>Amsterdam."  Yes, it's THAT song.  *Again*.  Except that this was 1990
>for TMBG, whereas "Crocodile" was 1992 for XTC.

"Istanbul" was a cover, though. It actually dates back to the early
fifties.

David vanWert    mcknife@xsite.net    http://www.xsite.net/~mcknife

"I don't know about the rest of you guys, but these tight, colonial pants
are killing me. I gotta change before I pass out."  Patrick Henry, 1776
(later condensed to "Give me liberty, or give me death.")

------------------------------

From: mmyers@notes.cc.bellcore.com
Message-ID: <8525660B.005E0711.00@notes950.cc.bellcore.com>
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 13:32:02 -0400
Subject: misc ramblings

Chalksters and Chalkettes;

Add me to the roster of those confused by the announcement of a new
"Chalkhills Originals" release.   I was one of those who donated a song
back in October of 1996 when Fritz Stollenbach suggested that he would put
together a complilation of songs written and performed by Chalkhills list
members.  Fritz just announced about a month ago that mastering is complete
for this effort and that I would "soon" receive my copy.  I am not sure if
Fritz is prepared to make the tape available to the whole list;  I hope so,
because that is what makes it fun for me.  I would love to receive positive
or negative feedback on my material from people who have something in
common with me (like, being on this list).

Now, all of a sudden comes the announcement of yet another originals list.
But this has some sneaky aspects to it.  It turns out that one had to be
INVITED to join.  And the critieria is strange:  in order to be invited,
you had to be a talented contributor to previous Chalkhill tapes.  Or, you
could be a friend of the guy who is putting the tape together (and here I
agree with a previous poster who challenged the concept of a "Chalkhills
Originals" tape if some of the contributors are not list members). Do these
"friends" like or know about XTC?  Now, isn't something a bit odd?   Does
it follow that someone who does a nice job of performing a COVER version of
an XTC song would automatically be considered as a good original
songwriter?  (And I am not trying to slam any of you folks lucky enough to
have gotten chosen for this new tape.)   But wouldn't it have made more
sense to make an open invitation to the songwriters who are on this list to
volunteer a contribution?

I know this sounds like sour grapes, and it probably has something to do
with the fact that we've been waiting for 19 months for the Fritz tape to
surface, but gee whiz, I don't get why this was done with such secrecy.
Every other release, contest, opinion poll, etc that I've ever seen has
been done openly to the list in general.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox now.    Mike

------------------------------

From: Saints3Den <Saints3Den@aol.com>
Message-ID: <4726b5db.356478ab@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 14:55:38 EDT
Subject: river of orchids=sea of flowers?

Hi!
      I have been meaning to post this for quite a while- While watching the
Diana funeral, a thought struck me .  It seemed that it all fit in very
nicely with River of Orchids...  tons of flowers-both piled up and thrown on
the hearse, virtually covering the road...a car "pushed from the
road"... said car "reduced to a fossil"... she was buried in her
"backyard"... "the whole world at her feet"-- Several other lines fit
too. think of your own. If you aren't aware of the lyrics, they are on
chalkhills. Could this be yet another example of Andy as a prophet-writing
an ode to Princess Di years before the accident?
;-)    eddie st.martin

------------------------------

From: mmyers@notes.cc.bellcore.com
Message-ID: <8525660B.00698AE0.00@notes950.cc.bellcore.com>
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 15:18:18 -0400
Subject: Revenue for Dave?

Can anybody on the list tell us yet if Dave is going to financially share
in the forthcoming success of the new album(s)?   I'm wondering if he will
only be paid as a session musician for what he contributed.  It's kind of
strange because he probably won't be an owner of IDEA records, right?   I
guess Andy and Colin could argue against sharing with him because they will
be taking all of the risk as they try to go to market with the new
album(s).

Also, is there any progress that anyone can report towards the band landing
a US distribution deal?  My impression is that is not pinned down yet.

Mike

------------------------------

Date: 22 May 98 10:35:29 AST
From: PCulnane@dca.gov.au
Subject: Great interview!
Message-ID: <0000rpfxttfn.0000qycykwew@dca.gov.au>

Just a note of thanx and congratulations to Todd Bernhardt for the
brilliant interview he conducted with Andy for Modern Drummer magazine.
Fascinating, insightful and, of course, deliciously funny, and put together
with finesse by Todd.  Great stuff!   This is the sorta stuff I appreciate
being alerted to by reading Chalkhills.

~p@ul

------------------------------

Message-ID: <3564E510.57D870FD@gate.net>
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 22:38:09 -0400
From: "Mark D. Irvin" <mdirvin@gate.net>
Subject: Dub Experiments

I just picked up a copy of the Dub Experiments aka Explode Together.  I
bought it when it was first released, but it was a little much to handle
for a then 15 year old just discovering Drums and Wires, Go2 and White
Music....so i returned it.  So now, once again, I own it, but this time
on CD.  Still different to listen to, but I can appreciate it more now
at the ripe old age of 33....especially "Shore Leave Ornithology
(Another 1950)".  My question is, however, what was the purpose or
reasoning behind the recording and the release of the Dub Experiments?
Anyone know?

Thanks from Florida,
Mark
mdirvin@gate.net

XTC song of the day:  "Supertuff"
nonXTC song of the day:  "Guns Before Butter" by the Gang of Four

------------------------------

Message-Id: <199805220809.KAA24370@mx1.landsraad.net>
From: "Ipintza B.I." <ipintzabi@arrakis.es>
Subject: Re: Crikey!
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 10:09:01 +0200

Steven Graff
<slapdash@earthlink.net> wrote:

>I never knew Andy was saying Miro
>in My Paint Heroes...
>...he was alluding Top Nero,

I've never heard this song,but as I heard
him in a Spanish TV interview (1987),
he liked very much Catalan painter Joan Miro
and he admitted his early songs (White Music)
were all very influenced by naive structures or
almost childlike shapes like Miro's painting.
While AP was saying this he was moving his
arms imitating those straight lines and edges
that usually appear on Miro's painting.

That's my opinion.

Imanol Ugarte
ix8494@xpress.es

------------------------------

Message-Id: <s5656225.077@parliament.uk>
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 11:31:03 +0100
From: Dom Lawson <LAWSOND@parliament.uk>
Subject: My First Outpouring

Greetings Chalkpeople,
Just to needlessly introduce myself - my name is Dom Lawson and I've been an
XTC fan since "Black Sea", when I was a headstrong and feintly ridiculous
eight year old.  I've been greatly enjoying the digests since I first got
access to the so-called World Wide whatsit, and like most of you I am
cacking myself at the prospect of finally getting a new album from the
band. Well, obviously.

So just a few minor points for my first contribution.....

(i) Some of you really need to get out more. Dave leaving XTC is certainly
disappointing, but let's not pretend it's a devastating emotional blow from
which we will never recover. He didn't write the songs. He's not dead. He's
had enough for the time being, and frankly who can blame him. It's something
of a minor miracle that Andy and Colin can still be bothered, given all the
record industry shit they've had to wade through.

(ii) Great double albums cont'd... - a few thoughts off the top of my brain.

CARDIACS - Sing To God  (essential classic pop music - surely a must for XTC
fans?)
SWANS - Soundtracks For The Blind
TALKING HEADS - The Name Of This Band...
THIN LIZZY - Live & Dangerous

The list is not exactly endless, but I'm sure there's loads of good
ones. And citing "Freak Out" as the only example is, I'm afraid, just a
little pretentious. It's a great album, but let's try to avoid a "who's got
the coolest record collection" debate.

(iii) Much as I've enjoyed discovering a world of fellow XTC fans, I have
been a little disturbed by the somewhat narrow musical view shared by many
of you. As a proud fan of heavy metal, hip hop, various strands of dance
music and pretty much anything with imagination, I'm puzzled as to why
everyone seems to be solely into white, commercial, adult-orientated pop
music, albeit of an often vaguely quirky nature. Acoustic guitars are not
necessarily a prerequisite for good music, and nor is sounding like The
Beatles.  TMBG are a prime example. This is what conservative people
consider to be "left of centre" music. The term "alternative" is redundant
and has been for years, and it's no wonder, if people won't broaden their
minds beyond catchy tunes and "things that sound a bit like XTC".

(iv) Current XTC Favourites:

     Complicated Game
     Travels In Nihilon
     Train Running Low On Soul Coal
     Bungalow

...the usual suspect.
Hope this hasn't annoyed you all too much. Here's to the Black Sabbath/XTC
peace settlement!

Dom.

------------------------------

From: MPadg <MPadg@aol.com>
Message-ID: <331ce909.356585f1@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 10:04:31 EDT
Subject: Associations

>> Last digest (4-83) was just like the old days with Sherwood's (I actually
>> wrote Sherweed....maybe a Freudian slip?) hilarious bantering and Simon
>> with his bike rides and nary a mention about the dreaded departure. Wow,
>> I must admit that the mythology I associate with XTC songs is a bit more
>> limited than Simon's, here are a few

I would add my praise for Sherwood's prose, but I'm sure some defender-of-the-
list zealot would insist that we start a separate SH list. "If you like
Sherwood Harrison I'm sure you'll like ..."

Anyway, my big associations, other than Skylarking reminding me of a summer
commuting from Chicago to Milwaukee every day in 100 degree weather, revolve
around my initiation to XTC.

Scene one: University of Chicago. Every night around 1:00 A.M. my roommate
Richard stumbles in under the influence, makes a bowl of ramen noodles and
cranks Black Sea on our other roommates' formidable stereo. The vision
forever brought forth by Respectable Street is of Richard - blissful grin -
eyes half rolled back - chicken broth dribbling from chin.

That's not when XTC got me though. It was a few months later ...

Scene two: End of College. Finals are over. Rush to pack. Rush to airport to
drop off a friend. Then - nothing. Driving down the freeway. Everything is
over. Nothing new has started. I have no plans. I am 100% free of
responsibility. First action - need some tunes! How about that one from I
taped from Richard's goofy ramen-noodle album? Generals and Majors. The rest
is history.

------------------------------

From: WillJ4comm <WillJ4comm@aol.com>
Message-ID: <7464e3bc.35659367@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 11:01:58 EDT
Subject: double albums

Richard P. commented that Zappa's Freak Out is the only double album worth
owning. Let's dispense with this silliness before a young, impressionable
neophyte accepts it as truth! :)

I know some of these have already been mentioned, just want to collect as
many worthy titles as I can here:

London Calling, Clash
Sandinista, Clash
The White Album, Beatles
Blonde on Blonde, Dylan
English Settlement, XTC
Oranges & Lemons, XTC
Nonsuch, XTC
Exile on Main St., Stones
Check Your Head, Beasties
Songs In The Key of Life, Stevie
Time Out Of Mind, Dylan
Hymns to the Silence, Van
Urban Hymns, The Verve (don't know if there was a vinyl release of this, but
it would be a double if there was)
All Things Must Pass, George H.
Sign O The Times, Prince
1999, Prince
Electric Ladyland (Is this double?), Jimi
Nothing Like The Sun, Sting
The River, Bruce
The Wall, Floyd
Out of the Blue, ELO
Physical Graffiti, Zep
Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Genesis w/ Gabriel
Quadrophenia, Who
Tommy, Who

I'm sure there's others, but the double album has DEFINITELY been an
important part of rock/pop greatness. Some of the albums listed here are
considered some of the greatest of all time, and are favorites of
many. Anyway, fun discussion, my buddy and I had a good time compiling our
list. Best, Will

P.S. - Anyone know a way I can get a tape of the firework demos? I'm
thinkin' that I'd like to hear the new songs before January of next
year. Please email me with any info, willj4comm@aol.com Thanks! Will

------------------------------

From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@exchange.Octel.com
Message-ID: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D820748847C0BD@ex-campus2>
Subject: regarding nihilon@crisscross.comments & "Chalkhill" Originals
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 10:50:59 -0700

>>For the past two months, at my invitation...
>>...originals to be compiled and released on CHALKHILLS ORIGINALS '98.
>
>Why at your invitation?

Admittedly, I was a bit chuffed (bad-chuffed) when I heard the same
news.  Though my interest in contributing was only sent on May 19, not
surprisingly, Mark gave me a ...too late... response (though it appeared
that Mark was also announcing the new addition of Becki D.).

Mark emailed me with; "My invitation and their acceptance is the only
real criteria..."
To that I can only advise caution based on the derision cast upon
Bizarre Depiction's XTC tribute tape contributor selection process.
From what I understand, BD chapped quite a few butts by calling for
contributors and then sending tapes back with a "Thanks but no thanks."
when it didn't meet their approval.  I attempted to circumvent those
types of situations by requiring CC contributors to "register" their
song.

>This is even worse than the selection for Chalkhill's Children tapes.

Whoa, hey!  I have openly admitted that the more tributes that I do, the
worse this problem has gotten.  So much so that I recently they  WILL
change.

I'm not trying to change, realign or censor Steve's opinions but he is
still on the reserve list for CC98, still has a chance to get on and
that puts him well ahead of the 40+ that were simply turned away.

>And why ex-Chalkers and friends -  It's not Chalkhill Originals if they
>aren't Chalkies.

Amen.  While I never regret hearing new music and I look forward to the
tape, is Mark trying to push someone on us who isn't even an XTC fan?
If these people aren't Chalkies, the tape title better come dressed in
quotation marks.

>Is anybody else here getting concerned about these kinds of things that are
>starting to happen more and more?  Is there an 'elite' XTC list...?

Yes.  The elite XTC list is called "Chalkhills" and you are part of it.

>...I'm annoyed at the way the selection is conducted for these things.

It's that age-old question... would you rather stand a real chance by
being on the reserve list or reduce the probability of being selected
from a pool of 60+ requests?

Richard

------------------------------

From: Richard.PedrettiAllen@exchange.Octel.com
Message-ID: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D820748847C0BE@ex-campus2>
Subject: Word lunch
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 11:02:44 -0700

Mark pointed out: Our honourable friend Richard P.  said:
>> ...name a multi-album worth owning...
>How on earth can you forget about English Settlement ???

Um... I wasn't on Earth at the time of that post.

Yeah, I forgot about that one and have been living in fear that someone
would parade my stupidity on Chalkhills.  I only owned the 1xLP and
didn't get all the songs until the 1xCD came out.

I have received several emails (privately) from people challenging my
statement and I have largely eaten my words.  Common thread: Everyone
who wrote me listed The Who's "Tommy" (and though "Tommy" is still great
IT SOUNDS SERIOUSLY DATED and starts being a historical artifact some
time very soon).  Many of the 2xLPs listed were definitely personal
tastes and still wouldn't be on my list.

In any event, I hereby retract my statement.

Wings Over America was never mentioned.

Cheers, Richard

------------------------------

Message-Id: <72EDB966944AD1118DC90080D820748847C0BF@ex-campus2>
From: "Pedretti-Allen, Richard (Richard)"
Subject: re: 2xLPs - UNCLE!
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 11:38:43 -0700

William Wisner: I might also mention the White Album.

Richard: Play side 2 and then 4 and tell me what you would have missed
if it had not been there?  As great a release as it is, take the best 45
minutes of the work, put it on one tape and take a wonderful ride with
nary a bump in the road.

My point actually meant that most double albums could have been
condensed down to a single album.  Zappa's 51 minute 2xLPs?!  Lose a
song or two, lower the cost and lower the price.  The time per $ value
wasn't there and I don't want the space filled up with Revolution Number
9 (...though I always chuckle when someone plays it on the jukebox at
the pub!  "May I have this dance?").  In a seemingly benevolent spirit,
Zappa has released two single LPs on one CD (Overnight Sensation and
Apostrophe)!  At 74 minutes max on a CD, that puts the average time per
LP at 37 minutes (and I doubt it is completely full).  37 minutes of fun
where 46 minutes would fit.  I want my 9 minutes per.

Until I dove into Chalkhills I only knew English Settlement as a 1xLP
and I loved it that way (post cries of "Heretic" privately, please).
Black Sea was where I tasted the bait but English Settlement is when the
hook pierced (only my Psychologist can still see the scar).

Now I find someone claiming Oranges & Lemons was a 2xLP?!  I never knew!
I thought it was a double EP or some such thing (i.e., could fit on one
LP).

I've only owned Electric Ladyland on 1xCD.  I have been blinded to the
past by advancing technology as media holds more information.

Richard

p.s. Revo#9 is just an exercise in Musique Concrete.  The critics of
that musical style never raved about it.  If you like the obtuse, try
"Two Minutes Of Silence" by John and Yoko, from Life With The Lions.
It's participation art on vinyl!  My copy goes
"click-click-click-click-click-click-1.5 minutes of
silence-click-click-click-click-click-click-click" from lifting and
repositioning the tonearm.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 20:42:00 -0700
Subject: more double albums
Message-ID: <19980522.124935.6078.0.deuchars@juno.com>
From: deuchars@juno.com (jim d deuchars)

hey chalkfolk,

First off, I agree with all the double albums mentioned already.

Herez some more:

Dylan's Blonde on Blonde
Dylan and the Band's Basement Tapes
Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime
Coltrane in Japan (3 cd's)
Jesus Christ Superstar (stage OR film soundtrack)
Sinatra's Trilogy

		luv

		deuchars

ps- any chalkfolk near Santa Barbara, CA?

------------------------------

Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19980523022143.006d36c4@pop.mindspring.com>
Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 21:21:43 -0500
From: "Jason 'Buffy' NeSmith" <jnesmith@mindspring.com>
Subject: Hypocrite of the year.

Molly, dear, you're too gosh-darn sensitive!  You haven't offended anyone (I
think), but in the end, anyone that would start a rumour wouldn't care what
you thought about them.  Whether it was started on purpose or not is a moot
point now.  It is an ex-rumour.  It is my opinion that you should relax and
write about something other than who's a 'real' Xtc fan and who isn't.

Whoever mentioned the Ives piece "Schertzo: Holding Your Own"-- right on,
brothah!  That little dittie kicks serious booty!  For the curious, it's
readily available on the Kronos Quartet's album 'White Man Sleeps', and it's
pretty short.

Steve <nihilon@crisscross.com> was talking about Chalk' Orig' 98, and said
something like:

>>For the past two months, at my invitation, a number of very talented
>>Chalkers, ex-Chalkers and friends thereof have been diligently creating
>>originals to be compiled and released on CHALKHILLS ORIGINALS '98.
>
>Why at your invitation?  Is anybody else here getting concerned about these
>kinds of things that are
>starting to happen more and more?  Is there an 'elite' XTC list that the
>rest of us don't know about?
>
>There are more people out there recording than just those who have been
>fortunate enough to get onto CC.  Yes, I've tried, and yes I'm annoyed at
>the way the selection is conducted for these things.

I share your frustration.  I've never been inspired to cover an Xtc song for
semi-public consumption.  I just think I haven't found the right inspiration
for that yet.  But I've got plenty of original stuff that I'm happy to show
my list friends.  That's what I thought would happen two years ago when
Fritz offered to put togeather a similar tape.
I could never expect the new compiler to know about me or my stuff, even
though I've mentioned my music a few times.  But a public notice to submit
material would have been great, and would have put an end to the frustration
over the last tape.  Some of the names of contributers to this new tape were
scheduled to be on the Fritz tape, and the one's I've heard were quite good.
I'll probably send off for one if they're available.  However, if the point
of your tape is that these Chalkhills contributers are there by private
invitation, you should also keep the tape private.  There are plenty of
musicians on this list that want to be on a list-comp, and you risk hurting
the feelings of all of them when you promote your tape.
I dont' think there's some sort of 'elite' list at all.  I've never felt
annoyed by the tribute tape selection process.  I just want to take
advantage of any outlet that would allow me to share my art with some of
you.  Maybe someone needs to put togeather a more 'communist' version of the
originals tape.  Maybe I will.

Um, Molly?  Sorry for being a hypocrite about that 'over-sensitive' thing,
but it felt really good to vent about this.

love and a flakey, crispy crust,

Jason
Lookit Meee! rekkids...
http://www.mindspring.com/~jnesmith

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 00:30:40 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Jennifer L. Geese" <jlg@tardis.svsu.edu>
Subject: Hey Harrison!
Message-Id: <Pine.OSF.3.96.980523002847.9167A-100000@tardis.svsu.edu>

Mr. Sherwood admitted that he knew not the origin of the French underwear
song.  While I don't know the proper title, way back when when I took
piano lessons that same melody was in a snake charmer song.  Hmmm...
snake --> reptile --> crocodile.  Works for me!  :)

Jen

------------------------------

From: CCooli9575 <CCooli9575@aol.com>
Message-ID: <52ada142.3566dc2f@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 10:24:46 EDT
Subject: Re: Spaced Out

>The latest news that it's likely January for the new XTC tunes got me to
>thinking which band has taken the longest time between releases. So far, I
>believe it's The Records, a British group signed to Virgin at the same time
>as XTC (1978ish) and whose last release of new material was 1982. I've been
>told by WEBR Pure Pop host Alan Huber that The Records are performing in
>the Washington D.C. area, will be in LA in August for the International Pop
>Overthrow, and are in the process of recording a new LP.

  The longest I know of between actual releases is twenty-three years in the
case of the Velvet Underground, between 1970 and 93(I know, the reunion was
live only, but there was one new track, and the double live album that
resulted was as important as an studio album of theirs). Between studio
albums it would have to be Television, between '78 and '93. Andy and Colin
would have to get old and grey before they break any records, not that I'm
encouraging it.

Chris

------------------------------

Message-ID: <35672E4C.C7BA423E@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, 23 May 1998 13:15:08 -0700
From: Steven Graff <slapdash@earthlink.net>
Organization: SLAPDASH
Subject: Holly up on Poppy/Crocodile, double albums

Hey there!

     During the last digest I read an allusion to the Holly Up On
Poppy/Crocodile transition on Nonsuch. When I bought the album, the
first thing I learned were these two great songs. I think the fade
between Omnibus/That Wave is more awkward. When I learned HUOP, and
Croc, I actually played them as a single piece. I like the abrupt change
over the messy cross fade. Plus, going from a slower song to a fast song
is more natual to me than vice-versa.
    I'm surprised no one mentioned The Lamb lies Down On Broadway and
Seconds Out as must-have double records. They both exemplify Genesis at
what I consider their best. There's also a very hard to come-by release
titled The Doobie Bros. Farewell Concert.Great three LP set. It was
recorded at U.C. Berkley shortly after Michael McDonald decided to leave
the band, and it was considered the end of the Doobies. It actually
should've been that, but they linger...unfortunately.

     Bye Bye!

       Steven Graff

Self-serving P.S: My band is playing at Jack's Sugar Shack in Hollywood
on June 3rd, in case any Chalkers want to meet another descendant of
XTC.Be great to meet some of you guys.
--
MZ

------------------------------

Message-ID: <35686922.23AD@sirius.com>
Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 11:38:26 -0700
From: Eric Rosen <elr@sirius.com>
Subject: More Maids Smiled: XTC on the radio over the web

Hi all,

Thanks to the marvellous wonders of modern technology, I've heard
XTC on two sources of the most dizzyingly diverse and eclectic radio
programming in America:

WFMU 91.1 FM, East Orange, NJ & Mount Hope, NY
(http://www.wfmu.org click the 2 links for listening)
* requires Real Media Player.

KFJC 89.7 FM Los Altos Hills, CA
(http://www.kfjc.org click the link for listening)
* requires a Java enabled browser

Both of these stations have interviewed XTC personnel at various
times in the past.

The joy of re-connecting with WFMU for yours truly is too ecstatic to
put into few words.  I lived in NYC until 1993 and had no idea about
the web until 1994.  I counted FMU as one of 3 things I missed most
about NY (outside of family & friends).  The other two are the
Village & Chinatown.  Those two are a little tougher to re-invent with
current technology...

The show descriptions below are the DJs own.

Saturdays, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM EST
Frank O'Toole (fxo@wfmu.org)
     F.X.O. Recipe for radio show:

     Pop with and edge, blend in intelligent noise and media
soundbites, some radio-friendly rap, a dash of occasional listener
suggestion, and, ...VOILA!

Sundays 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM EST
Teenage Wasteland with Bill Kelly (blackhole@wfmu.org)
     Host Bill Kelly, the panjandrum of punk, the blackhole of rock &
roll, the guru of the garage, the sultan of surf and the King of Sunday
afternoons plays
     Rrreal Rock & Roll to gird your loins by.

Frank O'Toole is an XTC afficionado who always shoehorns 1 XTC
tune into every show.  He played a lo-fi cassette recently of one R.
Stevie Moore [sic?] of a tune called "More Maids Smiled" which
certainly perked up the ears of this listener as it was really an
acoustic instrumental snippet of Mermaid Smiled.  He also likes to
recap sets with Dictionary of Modern Marriage playing in the
background.  He also has the Brian Wilson bug and recently played
Brian's "Life is for the Living" which Frank Sinatra refused to sing
although it was written especially for him!

Maybe someone should send him some Chalkhills' tapes...

When Bill Kelly plays XTC it's usually the Dukes as they fit better
with the theme of his show (pyschedelia or garage punk of the 60s and
more recent stuff in the same vein).  Caught him playing 25 O'clock
recently.

KFJC has some of the coolest reggae (Jah's music with Spliff
Skankin' Sundays, 4pm - 7pm PST), current affairs (One Step Beyond with
Dave Emory Sundays 7pm - 10pm PST), and "space age bachelor pad
music" (House of Games with Jack Diamond, Sundays 10am - 1pm
PST)

I'm not affiliated with these institutions beyond being an empassioned
listener and booster although I view both as hotbeds of creativity that
I'd be only too honored to collaborate with should the opportunity
arise.

Happy listening everyone...

------------------------------

Message-ID: <19980524213005.14547.qmail@hotmail.com>
From: "Erich Sellheim" <esellheim@hotmail.com>
Subject: XTC vs. The Cult
Date: Sun, 24 May 1998 14:30:05 PDT

Hello everyone,
I thought I'd share a text by German writer Max Goldt with you which
contains a (rather short) XTC reference. Max Goldt is a very funny
and witty writer who, until recently, had a monthly column in a
German satire magazine, and he seems to be an XTC fan as, in the
foreword of one of his books, he thanks Andy Partridge.
The following text is an excerpt from his September 1994 column
(I fear my clumsy translation won't do justice to his great writing
style, but here we go:)

[...] Because of the heat, I'd like to squeeze some words about milk
ice-cream out of myself. Today I've really got to squeeze a bit; if the
words poured out of me like the drops of sweat, I'd be sitting
pretty. Milk ice-cream largely consists of frozen fat. In vanilla
ice-cream, so I've heard, there are even bulls' noses contained, so
I prefer water ice-cream. A particularly popular lump of frozen fat
is an ice-lolly called "Magnum". I've read about this product that
it is a "cult ice-lolly". However, as "Magnum" is market-domineering
at the same time, there's reason to examine if recently there's been
a change of meaning in the word "cult". In former times a cult
existed if a small, but not too small group of people made a
secretive hoo-ha about something. A typical cult band was (and is)
XTC, a band which gets ignored by the general public, but since many
years has devoted supporters who publish magazines and meet at
conferences where they interpret lyrics, etc.. A reliable sign of a
cult was that most of the people who didn't take part in the cult
had never heard about the existence of the cult. In former days, you
also had to make certain efforts in order to participate in a cult;
at least, bigger ones than to reach into a freezer.
Today everything seems to be "cult". People bite into "Magnum" and
listen to the songs of cult star Elton John. "Hey Tobias, this guy
has already sold more than 100 millions of records. He's really
cult." But I won't joke any more. True cult is difficult of access
and to those to whom it isn't accessible at all, it's also incom-
prehensible. If a cult gains general popularity, you can be sure
that it's something lame, like, for example, "The Rocky Horror
Picture Show". Nowadays, most of the things which are claimed to
have some kind of cult status are made up of assembly-line-like
cobbled-together platitudes. Just think of the not at all above
average comedy show with the shoe salesman and his smutty wife. The
same trick is used over and over again. Never is there a surprise.
An even more drastic example is represented by the MTV characters
"Beavis and Butthead". The sounds that these figures make are of
interest for no longer than half a minute. It's also significant
that "The Simpsons", a cartoon series which distinguishes itself
for its inventive love of details and also its cartoon-makers' love
of the characters, hasn't obtained this modern fake-cult status in
Germany, although at the start there have been efforts on this
matter. The series is too complex. Several years ago, some people
analyzed all famous cult films and, with the help of their results,
made the dreadful film "Delicatessen". In this case, even the film
posters contained the expression "cult film". Unfortunately, the
audience was promptly taken in by it. Today, "cult status" is just
a babbling word used by simple-minded media makers and consumers;
those people who call every rubbish "exciting", "amusing",
"brilliant" and "weird". So responsible citizens shouldn't use this
word anymore. What I could use now is a slice of "Rotkaeppchen"-
cheese, the cult-Camembert. I thnik this will be delicious. Oh,
there it is again, my most frequent typing error: "thnik" instead
of "think". If you think about it, a true cult typing error! All
people who always type "thnik" as well could meet with me at a
shrill venue and hold a typing error cult weekend. There we could
realize that, apart from "thnik", we don't have any things in common,
and then shout at each other. [...]

I hope this wasn't too off-topic;
best wishes,
Erich

------------------------------

End of Chalkhills Digest #4-85
******************************

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